Very specific front end clunk diagnosis

T16 · 23rd July 2019, 22:09

I am having some difficulty in diagnosing a front end clunk!
Here are the facts...

1) replaced lower tie mount as old one was split
2) Drivers side top mount makes a bit of a creaking at a specific angle coming off a driveway
3) Lower rear wishbone bushes look mint
4) Drop links are "new"
5) The sound ONLY happens when I am in 1st gear and I aggressively lift off the throttle and the front end pitch changes.
6) No big rattles over cobbles, bumps, potholes/general use.
7) ARB Bushes look fine

The top mounts are pretty corroded underneath, and for the life of me I cannot get any noise or movement to happen no matter how much force I put on the wheels with the car jacked and the wheels off the ground, in any direction, on any piece of the suspension.

It mainly seems to happen when the pitch of the car changes, rather than the yaw.

Sound familiar to anyone? I think my gut says topmount, and it loves a good creak when at a steep angle off the drive, but even perishing rubber in the mount shouldnt clunk so bad as its sandwiched between two large washers!

I remember previously on a previous car I had a front end rattle which happened over cobbles etc, and that was jsut a case of tightening up the lower arm to hub pinchbolt, this noise definitely seems different.

23rd July 2019, 22:09	#1
T16 I really should get out more....... ZT CDTi 135, ZT260SE Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Dundee Posts: 2,877 Thanks: 10 Thanked 331 Times in 213 Posts	Very specific front end clunk diagnosis I am having some difficulty in diagnosing a front end clunk! Here are the facts... 1) replaced lower tie mount as old one was split 2) Drivers side top mount makes a bit of a creaking at a specific angle coming off a driveway 3) Lower rear wishbone bushes look mint 4) Drop links are "new" 5) The sound ONLY happens when I am in 1st gear and I aggressively lift off the throttle and the front end pitch changes. 6) No big rattles over cobbles, bumps, potholes/general use. 7) ARB Bushes look fine The top mounts are pretty corroded underneath, and for the life of me I cannot get any noise or movement to happen no matter how much force I put on the wheels with the car jacked and the wheels off the ground, in any direction, on any piece of the suspension. It mainly seems to happen when the pitch of the car changes, rather than the yaw. Sound familiar to anyone? I think my gut says topmount, and it loves a good creak when at a steep angle off the drive, but even perishing rubber in the mount shouldnt clunk so bad as its sandwiched between two large washers! I remember previously on a previous car I had a front end rattle which happened over cobbles etc, and that was jsut a case of tightening up the lower arm to hub pinchbolt, this noise definitely seems different.